Rotary engine.



G. 'T. THOMPSON. ROTARY ENGINE.

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1,131,750. Patented Mar.16,1915.

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GEORGE T. THOMPSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 116, 1915.

Application filed February 28, 1913. Serial No. 751,349.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE T. THQMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotary engines adapted to be operated by compressed air, steam or the like. in the ordinary rotary engine or turbine, compressed air, steam or the like, is continuously fed to the drum or shell containing the rotor. It has been found by experience that this type of engine cannot be very economically operated. l have discovered that by providing proper means for introducing compressed air or steam into the shell containing the rotor, at proper intervals and when the pistons or buckets of the rotor are successively moved into the starting position adjacent the pressure supply, and quickly cutting off the supply of pressure when the pistons are moved from the starting position, that steam and particularly compressed air, upon being suddenly released will impinge against the piston or bucket with great force, to turn the rotor. By quickly cutting off the supply of compressed air or the like, great economy is had in its consumption. 1 have found that the engine will operate highly satisfactorily, owing to the great expansive force of compressed air or the like, upon being suddenly released. By again quickly cutting olf the supply of the compressed air or the like the pressure thereof is preserved, so that the supply of the same will not be wasted.

In the practical embodiment of my invention, I provide an outer shell, casing, or drum, within which is disposed a rotor carrying spaced radially extending pistons, preferably formed with buckets. The shell is provided upon one side thereof with a pressure inlet, to supply compressedair or the like to the pistons or buckets as they are successively rotated into the starting position adjacent the same. Means are provided for suddenly releasing the compressed air or the like, when each successive piston or bucket moves into the starting position adjacent the pressure inlet and to quickly cut ofi the supply of pressure after the same has impinged against the piston or bucket. Exhaust means are also provided whereby the compressed air or the like after impinging against the piston or bucket to rotate the same for a given distance, may escape to the atmosphere.

An important object of my invention is to provide an engine of the above mentioned character, which is powerful in operation, economical in the consumption of compressed air or the like, and comparatively cheap to manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an engine of the above mentioned character, having an improved rotor, whereby the engine is capable of having a high efficiency.

A. further object of my invention is to provide an engine of the above mentioned character, which is so constructed that the different parts thereof may be readily separated for the purpose of repair or the like.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side view of the engine, parts thereof being removed for the sake of illustration, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the buckets, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4: is an inner side view of one of the plates included in the rotor, and, Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same.

In the drawings, wherein for the sake of illustration, 1 have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 6 designates a pedestal or base, upon which is mounted a cylindrical shell, casing or drum 7 which is provided upon the inner surface of its periphery with an enlarged recess 8, having the longitudinal wall 9 thereof curved, as shown. This recess 8 is preferably formed upon one side of the shell 7 and is vertically arranged, as shown. Formed upon the shell 7 is a valve casing 10, provided with a main opening for receiving a rotatable valve 11. This rotatable valve is provided with a substantially V- shaped port 12, the ends of which are adapted to be moved into and out of registration with a pressure supply pipe 13 and a pres sure supply port 14:, which leads into the recess 8, near the upper end thereof, as shown. Near the lower end of the recess 8 is an exhaust port 8, leading into the same, as shown. The rotatable valve 11 is rigidly connected with a spindle 15, to which is connected a bell-crank lever 16. The approximately horizontal arm of this bell-crank lever is provided at its outer end with a weight 17 and the vertical arm of the same is provided with a laterally extending lug 18, as shown.

Disposed within the shell 7 is a rotor 19, having radially extending spaced arms 20, between which are formed substantially L- shaped recesses or openings 21, as shown. The longitudinal portions, of these L-shaped recesses or openings are radially disposed, as shown. Longitudinally movably mounted within the radial portions of the recesses 21 are pistons or arms 22, carrying at their outer ends buckets 23, having the leading edges 24 of the sides thereof longitudinally I curved, as shown. The pistons or arms 22 are. forced outwardly by compressible coil springs 25, as shown. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, each piston or arm 22 extends laterally beyond the bucket 23, for a purpose to be described. Disposed upon opposite sides of the rotor 19 are circular plates 26, having openings for receiving a shaft 27 which also passes through the rotor 19 and is keyed therewith, as shown. The plates 26 are rigidly connected with the rotor 19 by means of screws 27 or the. like. The plates 26 are provided upon. their inner faces with radially disposed grooves or recesses 28, for receiving the lateral ends of the pistons 22, Which extend beyond the buckets 23, as above stated. Disposed upon opposite sides of the shell 7, are side plates 29, connected with the same by bolts 30 or the like. These side plates are also provided with extensions 29" to cover the valve casing 10.

V The numeral 31 designates a pitman or rod, provided at its inner end with an open head 32, which surrounds the shaft 27, as shown. This open head is; provided with a laterally extending pin 33, to be engaged and tripped by cams. 34:, rigidly connected with the shaft 27 as shown. The rotor 19 turns in the direction of the arrow, whereby the pin 33 will engage the curved faces of the cams, as shown. Near its outer end the pitma-n or rod 31 is provided with a laterally extending pin 35, operating within an elongated slot 36, formed upon the vertical arm of a pivoted bell-crank lever 37..

This bell-crank lever is provided at the outer endof its horizontal arm with a weight 38, as shown. At its extreme outer end the pitman or rod 31 is provided with an elongated slot 39, for receiving the lug 18, as shown.

The operation of the engine is. as follows: During the rotation of the rotor 19, each piston or arm 22 is successively moved adjacent the recess 8, whereby the same will be moved radially and outwardly by the springs 25 into the recess 8, the curved edges 24 of the buckets conforming to the curvature of the upper end of the wall 9. As soon as the piston 22 and its bucket 23 is moved entirely into the upper end of the recess 8, the cam 34: will engage the pin 33 to move the pitman 31, whereby the bellcrank lever 17 will be swung, to turn the valve 1 1 for establishing communication between the pipe 13 and the port 14:. The compressed; air or pressure is thus suddenly released to impinge against the piston 22 within the bucket 23. This supply of compressed air is quickly cut off when the pin 33 trips over the trailing edge of the cam 3 1. Upon further rotation of the rotor, the compressed air previously fed into the recess 8 is exhausted through the exhaust port 8 as is obvious. It is thus seen that the compressed air is not supplied to the rotor in acontinuous manner, but is introduced into the. shell containing the rotor at, intervals and quickly out off.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjjoinedj claims.

Having thus fully described my inven tijon, I claim 1 In an engine of the character described, a main shell, a rotor mounted withthe main shell and carrying a plurality of spaced pistons, a shaft connected with the rotor to be turned thereby, a plurality of spaced tripping cams carried by the shaft and corresponding in number and arrangement to. the pistons, a valve to intermittently supply steam into the main shell as each piston is successively brought into the proper position, a pitman connected with the valve to operate the same and carrying a member disposed in thepath of travel of the tripping cams, and means to quickly return the valve to the closed position after the same is open and upon the tripping outer pitman.

2. In an engine of the character described, a main shell, a rotor mounted within the main shell and carrying a plurality of spaced pistons, a shaft connected with the rotor to be turned thereby, a plurality of spaced tripping cams carried by the shaft and corresponding in number and arrangement to the pistons, an oscillatory valve to intermittently supply steam into the main shell as each piston is successively brought into the proper position, a crank connected with the oscillatory valve" to turn it, a weight connected with the oscillatory valve to autoturn the same to the normal starting posimatically return the same to the closed position when removed therefrom and tripped. 10 tion when moved to the open position and In testimony whereof I affix my signature released, a pitman having a loose connecin presence of two witnesses.

tion with the crank and provided with a GEORGE T. THOMPSON. member disposed in the path of travel of the Witnesses:

pitman cams, and a pivoted weight con- M. L. LEFFLER,

neoted with the pitman to automatically re- F. M. OHARA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

